Shift
by Dawn Stone Slifer
Summary: Shift - to exchange for or replace by another, to go through a change. It had been five years since she'd stepped foot in Ikebukuro. Just what was awaiting her in the jaws of this corrupted city? Shizuo/OC. Rating may change.
1. Chapter 1

_Hey, everyone. Dawn Stone Slifer here, with my first multi-chapter fic! I've been working on this fic for going on...four years now? I actually started in 2011 with the intention of keeping it a one-shot centered around the Saika Arc, but after a while, it just spiralled into this...And since this, obviously, doesn't start around the Saika Arc, it's pretty clear that I've done a fair amount of tweaking. Hey, a lot can change in four years. _

_Anyway, I hope you enjoy, and if you can, please leave a review! I love to hear your feedback!_

_~Dawn Stone Slifer~ _

* * *

Ikebukuro.

The city that never slept. The place where mysteries and legends seemed to mix with reality, twisting it into a dangerous yet charming city.

This was the place that I'd returned to.

* * *

It'd been five years; five long, painful years away from everything I knew. Five years of longing, fighting the urge to come back. But now, I was here.

And I wanted nothing more than to start afresh.

I glanced down as I felt my phone vibrating in my hand, and I couldn't contain my smile. I brought the phone up to my face, reading the notification quickly.

'_You in town yet? I'm getting really impatient~~ _(ﾟ´Д｀ﾟ)ﾟ_'_

I shook my head slightly, the smile on my face growing as I began to reply.

'_Relax. I'm now coming. See you soon.'_

I hit the send button, biting my bottom lip for a moment, before adding a few extra words.

'_Also, change your handle name. __**Kanra**__ is so five years ago, and you're not fooling me into thinking you're a girl.'_

* * *

"Hana-chan! It's been too long!"

The familiar smooth voice met my ears, and I looked up, smiling warmly at the young man in front of me. His hair was pitch black and messy, and his eyes - brown with a reddish hue - shone with cunning and intelligence. They reminded me of a snake.

"It has, Izaya. Glad to see you haven't changed much. You're...taller than I remember, though," I mused, taking in his growth with curiosity. He smirked, his narrow smile mischievous, before looking me up and down with calculating eyes.

"Well, you haven't changed at all, Hana-chan! Still the same Hana-chan from high school! Although...you cut your hair off. What happened to the long hair from before?" he asked, his hand moving out to touch my shoulder-length strands of chocolate brown hair. I resisted the urge to flinch away, instead moving my head to the side, making my hair slip through his fingers.

"I got bored of it. Thought I'd change things up a bit," I shrugged, flicking my hair behind me in one swift movement.

"Hm...it'll take a bit of getting used to, but I guess it's okay," he shrugged back, still smirking. I sent him an unimpressed glare, before looking off down the street.

"What's the matter, Hana-chan? You looking for someone?" Izaya questioned, cocking his head to the side as he watched me. I spared a few more seconds of glancing at the street, before turning back to him, sending him an assuring smile.

"No one important. Now, you owe me a drink. It's time you started paying me back for all the coffee I bought you in high school."

"Aw...and I thought you'd forgotten about that," he pouted, his eyes gleaming with childish mischief.

"Not likely. You used to pester me everyday until I gave you cash. The amount of yen I've wasted on you and your coffee obsession over the years must be insane..."

"Well, I suppose buying you _one _drink couldn't hurt. The usual place?"

* * *

"So, Hana-chan, how were things after you moved away? You went to study abroad in America for a while, right?"

I nodded, taking a sip of coffee, shuddering slightly. I'd never been keen on the stuff; it was way too bitter for my liking. But, Izaya had ordered our drinks without even asking about what I wanted, so I decided to suck it up. At least he'd paid for it.

"Yeah, I did. I took a course in Film-making, and it was pretty cool," I answered, watching as the young man leaned back in his seat.

"Film-making, huh? Very interesting! Have you made any films yet?"

I snorted, shaking my head.

"Give me chance to get settled back into Ikebukuro first, Izaya. Then I'll start filming."

"Right, right...how long have you been back, anyway?"

"Two days. I started unpacking yesterday, but some annoying little asshole wouldn't stop hassling me over the chatrooms..."

Izaya laughed, leaning forwards and taking a swig of his own coffee.

"I was eager to see you, Hana-chan! You've been gone for five years, after all! A lot of things can happen in five years! I was interested to see how much you've changed! And you didn't disappoint, Hana-chan! You've changed a lot!"

"...I'm going to take that as a compliment and not as you being creepy, Izaya. So, thanks."

"Don't mention it," he sent me a sly grin, "anyway, what about your family? How did they feel about you coming back? It was because of them that you had to move abroad anyway, wasn't it?"

I flinched a little at his words, before brushing it off with a small smile.

"I...didn't really tell them that I was coming back. I'm a grown-up now, so I _can _go wherever the hell I want..."

"You mean you just dropped off the face of planet in their eyes? That doesn't seem like you at all, Hana-chan. You used to be so close to your family."

The way Izaya's voice changed told me how little he cared. I knew enough about his profession to know that he was digging for info. But, in this case, he was trying to dig in a place where he wasn't welcome.

Before I could politely tell him to butt out, I was interrupted by the shrill ring of a phone. Izaya sighed, rolling his eyes, before pulling said phone out of his pocket and answering it.

"Yeah...? Ah, why hello there~! No, no, not at all! I was actually wondering when I would hear from you..."

I sighed, tuning out Izaya's voice as I stared out of the window of the cafe and out onto the street. Nothing had really changed much since I'd last been here; a few of the stores had been renovated, and I was pretty sure they'd changed the layout of some of the lampposts (they seemed pretty new, like they'd only been put up weeks ago), but that was about it. It was...kind of refreshing to know that the city hadn't moved on much during my absence.

"...Hana-chan."

I turned back towards Izaya, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Hm?"

"I'm terribly sorry, but it looks like I'm going to have to cut this reunion short."

"Work, huh?"

"The job of an informant isn't an easy one~..."

I smiled, before narrowing my eyes at him.

"No rest for the wicked, right, Izaya?"

"Hey! That was mean, Hana-chan!"

I laughed, before motioning him away with my hand.

"I'm kidding. Oh well, it was nice seeing you, anyway."

"We'll have to meet up again, sometime, Hana-chan. There's still a lot I want to ask you, after all~"

His words almost made me shudder, but I held it in, instead sending him a sickly sweet smile.

"I'm sure there is."

"Right. I'll be off, then. I'll see you soon, Hana-chan. Oh! And welcome back to this chaotic city!"

And with that, he was gone; dashing out of the door and down the street, waving to me from the other side of the window.

With Izaya gone, I could finally breathe. I inhaled deeply, taking another swig of my coffee and cringing as the horrid liquid ran down my throat.

"What the hell...why am I even drinking this?"

* * *

The damp streets of Ikebukuro were a welcoming sight. It had stopped raining just before I'd left the cafe, so the air was fresh and cool as I took to the streets, taking in the scenery around me.

It was quiet, but that was probably due to the sudden downpour that had hit only minutes ago. People had ducked for cover in the nearby buildings, so the city seemed to have an air of peacefulness to it. Which was a nice change to the normally bustling place.

Puddles were littered across the road and on the brickwork pavement, and I watched as the city was reflected in the water as I walked by. Watching through the water, it almost looked like another world...

Of course, when I heard a loud smash and angry yelling, all thoughts of parallel worlds escaped me. I watched - once again through the puddle of water - as a large vending machine was thrown up into the air, completely trashed.

_Well, that saves me trouble of finding him,_ I thought, a smile settling on my face.

I had originally planned on going back to my apartment to unpack, but now that I'd seen that flying vending machine, I couldn't stop myself from investigating.

As far as I knew, there were only a select number of people who could pick up vending machines and throw them in the air like that.

Turning a corner, I came face to face with a pile of debris. A bent stop-sign, a ripped open trash can. And, just as I was about to look away, the vending machine from before came hurtling down, smashing into the ground and creating a horrible grating noise against the concrete that made my ears ring.

Of course, there were other things besides all the broken shit in the middle of the road.

There were bystanders, obviously, standing and watching in shock and fear at the scene before them. There were a couple of guys dressed in yellow too, although they seemed to be the ones who had caused this display of power. They lay sprawled out on the street, knocked out cold. One of them looked like he'd even had a few teeth knocked out, too.

And then, there was the guy who'd lost his temper.

At first, I didn't spot him; my eyes searching for the body I remembered from five years ago. Lanky build, blonde messy hair, soft brown eyes, and that famous scowl that crossed his face whenever he was angry. And then I saw it. A blur of black and white stalking off down the street, hands in his pockets.

My smile grew.

I ran past the injured men and the mess of debris the man had left, ignoring the eyes of the civilians as I caught up with him.

I was closer now, and I could finally see him. The same messy hair, although probably a little longer than I remembered, the same pissed-off posture that I was so used to seeing. And the same lanky build, although he had grown a little; he was even taller than he had been, and it kinda annoyed me a little.

I reached out as I got closer, my fingers grazing the fabric of his dress-shirt lightly.

"Shizuo!"

The man whipped his head around, his eyes - barely visible through his blue-tinted sunglasses - narrowing and that familiar scowl plastered onto his face. He opened his mouth, most likely to yell some kind of profanity at me for grabbing him, but paused mid-breath when he saw my face.

There was a moment of silence, and I could almost hear the gears turning in his head as he tried to comprehend what - or rather, who - he was seeing.

"...Hana?"

Bingo.

I let out a small laugh, a large grin settling on my face as I nodded.

"Been a while, huh, Shizuo."

He opened his mouth, before closing it, his eyes staring at me in shock as he tried to wrap his brain around what was happening.

Feeling the confused and fearful stares of the people around us, I took his hand and began to drag him away. His body was sagged, so he didn't put up much of a fight; he simply let me pull him along, around a corner and onto a quieter street.

"...That's better. There's less people to watch us here," I murmured, nodding to myself in satisfaction as I glanced around me. My gaze soon turned back to Shizuo, and I watched as he slowly locked eyes with me.

"You okay? You look kinda shocked," I asked, my eyes narrowing slightly as I took in his wide eyes and rapidly moving jaw. He looked like a fish out of water.

"Kinda?" he managed after a while, his eyebrows furrowing, "More like_ very _shocked. I didn't know you were back in 'Bukuro."

"Yeah, well, I haven't been back long. Only a couple of days," I answered, "And I've been busy unpacking all my boxes, so I haven't had much time to walk around Ikebukuro."

"Wait, unpacking? You're moving back here?"

My smile grew as I heard an ounce of what sounded like excitement in his voice - I wouldn't call the poor guy out on it, though; I didn't want to embarrass him - and I hunched my shoulders a little, my eyes closing as I gave him the toothiest grin I could manage.

"..Surprise."

* * *

_I hope you enjoyed! You'll be finding out more about Hana and her relationship with the Raira graduates in the upcoming chapters, so stay tuned!_


	2. Chapter 2

_Hi I'm gonna keep this short cus' I'm tired af. This chapter is dedicated to Evime. Thanks for being a great friend, girl. You rock. _

_Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go pass out. Later._

_~Dawn Stone Slifer~_

* * *

"Seriously? That's awesome, Shizuo! I'm so glad you're finally able to hold down a job!"

To anyone else, those words may have sounded a little harsh, borderline just plain rude. But this conversation had been passed between us a great number of times; my concern at Shizuo's difficulty at holding down a job, his nonchalant shrug in response. Even after five years, that hadn't changed.

"Yeah, well, it's not great, but it pays good, so."

"It sounds like it! Also sounds like good stress relief, too!" I said with a laugh, pausing to place some sushi in my mouth and chew slowly.

Shizuo and I were currently sat in a small sushi bar on the Eastern side of Ikebukuro; he'd offered to buy me dinner and, realising that this was probably the first proper meal I was going to have since I'd arrived, I accepted.

Besides, we had a _lot _of reminiscing to do.

"...But seriously, Shizuo, I didn't recognise you for a while, there. You've gone and grown again...it's not fair..." I sighed, pouting playfully as I reached out and poked his cheek.

"I didn't grow. You just shrank," he countered, a small smirk settling on his face as he swatted my hand away gently.

"Hey! I did not! I grew! A whole _inch and a half, _thank you very much!"

"Wow. Impressive."

I laughed a little at the obviously sarcastic remark, before going back to my food.

"Glad to see that snarky attitude of yours hasn't changed, Shizuo. You're still the same moody, violent guy from high school."

"And you're still the annoying girl that likes to point out all of my flaws."

"Hey now, I never said they were flaws," my smile faltered slightly, "you know better than anyone how I feel about that kind of thing. Flaws you can change, work at to overcome. Yours will...just take a little bit more time, is all..."

"So they _are_ flaws, then."

"...Y'know, I'm trying to make you feel better. The least you could do is take my words with a pinch of salt and thank me," I sighed, shaking my head, before biting into my food once again.

"...I know. Thanks, Hana..." his reply was quiet, but when I felt his hand settle in my hair gently and ruffle it, it told me more than his words ever could.

"So, what's it like in America? You lived in...Nebraska, right?"

The question took me off guard, and I paused mid-chew, before swallowing slowly. Honestly, it shocked me that he remembered something like that. Even my other high school friends had trouble remembering where in America I had moved to.

"It was okay. We moved across states a lot, but yes, we started in Nebraska. It was pretty...had pretty bad thunderstorms, though."

"Cool. Why didn't you stay in one place? I thought your parents wanted to settle down in the US?"

I felt a small twinge as my parents were mentioned, but I ignored it and continued to pick at my sushi.

"Yeah, well...they couldn't really make up their minds on _where _they wanted to settle, so...I managed to go to college for a while, though, so that was cool."

"What'd you study?"

"Film-making. Got my hands on some pretty nice equipment while I was there, too."

"Figures," Shizuo snorted, taking a bite of his own sushi, "you always were a film fanatic, even back in high school."

"Hey, it wasn't so bad. We watched some great movies and had a good time because of me!"

"Yeah...you opened my eyes to the film industry, alright..."

"That reminds me, I heard about Kasuka getting big. You'll have to tell him congrats for me!"

"Why not just tell him yourself? It's not like you're going anywhere any time soon," Shizuo countered, his voice hardening slightly. He sounded like he was almost...accusing me.

"...W-well, because he's famous now, that's why! I bet he has a ton of bodyguards around him all the time, so I wouldn't even be able to get close."

"He'd recognise you, so it shouldn't be that much of a problem. You haven't changed that much since you left...your hair's shorter, but..." Shizuo's gaze was on me, looking me up and down. I paused in taking a bite of my food, feeling a little self-conscious.

"...Actually, you've changed a lot."

"Oh?" Well, that was unexpected.

"You're thinner. You _are _eating properly, right?" Shizuo shot me a look, not entirely concerned, but more along the lines of 'girl if you aren't eating I'm gonna shove this sushi down your throat and make you swallow and digest it in ten seconds flat'.

"Well, I haven't been eating well these past couple of days, but that's because I've been so busy, I haven't had the time."

"Well, make time. Don't be an idiot and starve yourself."

Ah, yes. Once again, the wise words of wisdom from 'Papa Shizuo'. I'd certainly missed that.

"...Gee, sorry, _dad..._" I muttered, chomping on my last piece of sushi and swallowing it almost whole. I heard him snort slightly, before he turned back to facing the counter.

"I'm just saying it because you can't take care of yourself. You suck at remembering to do the important stuff. I always had to remind you to eat your lunch."

"Ah, excuse me, but that was only because I was trying to stop you from pummelling some poor high schooler throughout the lunch break! If you didn't lose your temper, then I would have had time to eat my lunch!"

"You're one to talk about temper. What about the time when you got pissed at a bunch of freshmen boys and tried to skewer the lot of them?"

"Hey, they were immature little punks, okay? They were lucky you were there to hold me back...and Shinra...and Kyohei..."

"And that flea..." Shizuo growled out almost instantly, and I sighed.

"And that flea..." I repeated, "although, to be fair, when he showed up, it was just Shinra and Kyohei trying to hold me back. You ran off after him...what school property did you break that time?"

"Hell if I know. You think I can remember back that far?" he muttered, his mood turning sour after the mention of Izaya.

"You seem to have no trouble remembering all these other things. So c'mon, what else do you remember? Tell me!"

I smiled up at him expectantly, excited about hearing the other stories. Reminiscing was fun, especially with someone like Shizuo. We'd spent practically all our school time together. When he wasn't chasing Izaya around, of course. Although sometimes, I joined those chases, too. That was only to stop them from murdering each other on the school campus, though.

Shizuo sighed heavily, before taking a gulp of the glass of water that sat in front of him.

"...I remember the day you left."

The breath hitched in my throat as the words left his mouth, and I averted my gaze.

"You left so suddenly, and with no warning at all. You shocked everyone."

"...It wasn't so bad. I mean, at least I said goodbye, right?" I murmured softly, guilt rushing through me. I hadn't meant to leave so suddenly, but at the time, things had been different. It hadn't been up to me. I brought my own drink up to my lips, trying to hide the guilt that I knew was quickly plastering itself on my face.

"No. You kissed me, walked off, and that was the last time I saw you."

My eyes widened, and I began to cough violently as I choked on my water. Shizuo stared down at me, his face serious as I recovered from my shock.

"I...didn't think you'd remember that..."

"I wouldn't forget something like that."

His words rang loud in my ears as I regained my breath. I felt the heat rising in my cheeks as the memories hit me; it had been a pretty rash decision back then, but at the time, I hadn't been thinking straight.

Everything had been changing, after all.

I cleared my throat, gulping down my water as I tried to calm down the blush in my cheeks. There was no point in getting embarrassed about something that happened in the past.

"It kinda surprised me, y'know."

"Huh?" I found myself turning to look at him, confusion overpowering the embarrassment for a moment. What did he mean by that?

"The kiss. It kinda surprised me."

"...Why? I mean, is it so hard to believe a guy like you could get kissed? You should have more confidence in yourself, Shizuo! You might not believe it, but you're a pretty attractive guy," I answered, sending him a sweet smile.

"No, I...it's just that you were with your boyfriend at the time, so it kinda took me off guard."

I paused mid-breath, my eyes widening.

Of _course _he had to bring up the boyfriend. _Of course._

"...Yeah," I said quietly, my eyes now focusing on the few pieces of sushi left in front of me.

"What happened with him, anyway? Did he come back with ya?"

"No, I...he...we broke up. A while ago, actually...I don't really like remembering it, to be honest..."

"Oh."

He went quiet, and for that I was grateful. I wasn't too keen on remembering him. I said I wanted a fresh start in Ikebukuro, and I was gonna get one, even if it killed me.

"...So, why the bartender getup? You said you were a debt collector, right?" I asked after a moment of silence, trying to take the spotlight away from me.

"Kasuka bought it for me, when I was working at a bar a while back," he answered simply, and I nodded, a small smile settling itself on my face once again.

"I see. Well, it looks good on you."

"Thanks."

We slipped into silence once again, and I took the chance to finish my sushi, before slumping down in my seat a little.

* * *

The silence, although once awkward and cringe-inducing, had now morphed into something a lot more...natural and calming. Words didn't need to be shared between us; we were both more than happy to just sit here and enjoy each other's company. It was pleasant, in a simple way. It reminded me of how much I'd missed this. How much I'd missed Shizuo.

"...Hey, Shizuo," I murmured after a while, and he looked up from his empty plate, choosing to raise an eyebrow at me.

"Yeah?"

"Do you...wanna come over? I mean...it's kinda lonely at my place right now, and there's shit everywhere because I'm still unpacking, but there's stuff in the fridge, so-"

"Sure."

A grin plastered itself on my face, and I couldn't stop myself from laughing a little.

"Awesome. We can catch up a lot more!"

* * *

The city seemed to almost glisten at night.

It reminded me of the nights when I would sit at my desk and watch the stars back in Nebraska; taking in their beautiful glow in amazement.

The stars weren't so bright here, but that didn't mean that the city didn't make up for it.

Shizuo and I walked along the street silently, content with the lack of communication. We never used to talk much during high school, either; most of the time, we just enjoyed each other's company. It was a nice friendship. Easy.

Of course, that didn't mean that I was happy with the silence all the time.

"So, how excited were you to see me?" I asked, skipping ahead a few steps and turning to face him, walking backwards as I watched him.

"The hell kinda question is that?" he responded, raising an eyebrow as his famous scowl began to show.

"A very valid one, Mr. Heiwajima! Because, let me tell you, I was _very _excited to see you. It's been five years, after all! And you were like, my best friend in high school!"

He turned his head away, his hand moving up to scratch the back of his neck.

"So, c'mon. How excited?"

"...A little."

I laughed, turning back and falling into step beside him.

"Better than nothing, I guess."

"Hn."

A comfortable silence once again settled between us, and I found myself looking up at the sky.

It was funny; the night sky was almost invisible due to the bright lights and buildings, but it still gave the same effect as that night sky back in the US.

I'd missed this place.

"...Ah, shit."

I paused, looking towards Shizuo, who was staring at his phone.

"What's up?" I asked, placing my hands on my hips as I waited.

"My boss just text me. Says I need to meet him for work," he replied, and I felt my heart sinking at his words.

"Oh...well, there's nothing we can do about that, is there? If you have work, you have work," I shrugged, before reaching for his phone. Taking it from him without a word, I quickly tapped in some details, before handing it back to him.

He squinted at the new number, before glancing at me in confusion.

"My number," I stated, before motioning for him to scroll down.

"And my address. If you wanna hang out or talk, just call me. Or, y'know, come over. Chances are I'll be there."

He scanned the number and address quickly, before pocketing his phone, nodding.

"Sure. Thanks, Hana."

"No problem. It was nice seeing you, Shizuo. I...you're gonna call me an idiot, but...I've kinda missed you..."

"...Tch. Idiot."

I smiled when I felt his hand ruffle my hair gently, and I couldn't stop the laughter from leaving my lips.

"...Missed you too."

His words were quiet, almost inaudible, but I still heard them. My smile widened, and I pulled back, grinning at him.

"You better get going. I don't want you to get in trouble with your boss or anything."

I turned on my heel, and began to walk away.

"I'll talk to you soon! Try not to get too pissed off at anyone, okay? Even if it _is _Izaya!"

There was silence for a moment. And then, a click of a tongue.

"No promises."


	3. Chapter 3

_Hey, everyone, welcome to Chapter 3. Once again, I'm gonna keep this short, since it's nearly 1am here. Why do I pick such horrible times to update? _

_Eh, whatever. Anyway, enjoy. Oh, and **huge **plot point in this chapter. You'll know what I mean when you get to it. _

_~Dawn Stone Slifer~_

* * *

"...Okay, Hana, you can do this. Just _try _not to set your kitchen on fire..."

I sighed, leaning my face against the kitchen counter as I stared at the stove, investigating it silently.

"...I hate cooking hot food."

The words left my mouth of their own accord, as I found myself becoming more and more frustrated with the machine. I'd tried a number of times since I'd moved into my new home to cook, but even after nearly a week here, I still hadn't figured out to work the stove. There were too many buttons to press, too many dials to turn.

"...Guess I'll be ordering take-out again...this sucks..."

I pushed myself away from the counter, trudging back into the living room and slumping down on the couch, grabbing the TV remote and turning it on.

_I'm so __**bored...**_

The words kept drifting around in my head as I lay there on the couch, flicking through the channels with a frown on my face.

Things had been interesting back in Ikebukuro, to start with. But, now that I was by myself, I couldn't have been more bored. The city just wasn't the same if I wasn't with Izaya or Shizuo...

It had been about three days since my meeting with the two men, and since then, I hadn't received a single text or call from either of them. Shizuo was busy with work, which I completely understood, but Izaya...usually he would've text me by now to harass me in some way. He was never really _that _busy with his work, no matter how much he tried to hide it.

_Although_, I thought to myself as I settled on a cooking show to watch - hopefully I'd subconsciously pick up some tips as I daydreamed my day away - _I'd much rather hear from Shizuo right now...it's taken me a few years to realise, but Izaya...is a bit of a shit-stirrer...wow, nice way to talk about your friends there, Hana. Real great..._

I leaned my chin against my hand as I slouched, letting out a yawn. Maybe I'd just nap or something...sleep was sounding pretty good right now...and then, maybe after that, I'd figure out how to work that damn stove...

_RIIING! RIIING!_

My eyes shot open, and I bolted from my couch as my phone started to ring. I grabbed it off the table, and without even bothering to look at who it was, I answered.

"Hello?"

"Why, hello there, Hana-chan! You sound happy~!"

Well, think of the devil, and he shall appear. Or however the hell that phrase goes.

"Oh...it's just you, Izaya..."

"Huh?! What do you mean, 'it's just you?!' Aren't you happy I took time out of my busy schedule to call you?"

I winced as his voice pierced at my eardrums; he'd raised his voice slightly in mock offence, and honestly, it grated on my nerves a little. Why couldn't he just talk like a normal person, for once...

"No, no, I am, I am...I just...thought you were someone else..."

There was a pause, and I idly wondered if he'd hung up. And then I was answered with a small hum.

"Oh? Who did you think it was, then? Someone who makes you sound that excited when answering the phone must be pretty special, huh?~"

"None of your business, flea..." I muttered, cringing when he let out a laugh in response.

"Ah, so it's Shizu-chan, then...you have terrible taste in friends, y'know~"

"I'm well aware. Why do you think I hang out with you, Izaya?"

"...Ouch. Harsh."

"Yep."

"...Anyway, I just called to ask you if you wanted to go out for lunch today. I'm feeling pretty bored stuck at home, and I thought it would be nice to maybe continue where we left off a few days ago..."

His words made me cringe. I was hoping I wouldn't have to give him any more info about my experiences in the US.

Then again, the idea of food _was _tempting.

"Who's gonna be paying?" I asked skeptically, and I heard him chuckle.

"Me, of course! What kind of man would I be if I let you pay?"

"...Something about this seems awfully fishy, Izaya..."

"...Well, I never said it was _free, _now did I?"

Shit.

"...Explain."

"Let's make this a little game. How about, every time you answer one of my questions, a chunk of the bill gets paid off? That sounds like fun, right?"

"I have a better idea," I countered with a smirk as I leaned against the back of my couch, "how about _you _pay for it all, and I take it off the money you owe for the coffee I bought you in high school."

"You're never going to let me forget that, are you, Hana-chan?"

"Like hell am I going to let you forget that."

I let out a small snort as the phone went silent. And then, a sigh.

"Fine. I can't win against you, can I?"

"Nope. You should know that by now. I'm too stubborn," I let out a laugh, before adding, "thanks, Izaya."

"It's fine, Hana-chan. After all, I've been _dying _to catch up with you..."

The smile faded from my face as he murmured those words at me. He sounded...so sinister when he said them...

"...Where are we going? And what time do you want me to get there by?" I asked, hoping he wouldn't pick up on the nervous tone in my voice. I had a bad feeling about this...

"I'll text you the details. I'm afraid I have a client to deal with beforehand, but it won't take long. I'll let you know after I've dealt with them...I'm so glad you said yes, Hana-chan...there are so many things I want to talk to you about, after all..."

And with that, the line went dead.

I pulled my phone away from my ear, staring at the screen blankly.

"...What the hell have you gotten yourself into this time, woman...jeez..."

* * *

"So, Hana-chan...about you moving back here..."

"Seriously, dude? I've literally just sat down. Let me at least get a drink first," I muttered, sending him an unimpressed look. He snickered, but backed off, calling over a waiter to take our orders.

"...Nice place," I commented as I looked around, taking in the atmosphere. It was pretty clear that this place was expensive; I honestly felt like I didn't deserve to be in this place. Then again, neither me or Izaya really looked the part. Izaya was dressed in his usual attire and me, not knowing what exactly the dress code was, had settled for something casual. Now I wished I'd picked out a dress or something.

"You're nervous, Hana-chan. Why's that?" Izaya's voice snapped me out of my thoughts, and I turned to him, shrugging a little.

"I dunno...I kinda feel a little...under-dressed, to be honest...this place looks too classy for me..."

"Ignore everyone else. All the suits and business folk have nothing on us, after all~!"

I snorted a little at his words, shaking my head.

"You're an idiot, Izaya. I wish you'd told me what kind of place this was beforehand. Then I would've known what to expect."

"You could've looked it up online. I gave you the address."

"...Okay, so I guess that slipped my mind..."

"Now who's the idiot, Hana-chan?"

I frowned at him, thanking the waiter as he placed a glass of water in front of me.

"You're such a gentleman, Izaya..." I muttered sarcastically as I took a sip.

"You know it," he responded, raising an eyebrow at me in confusion. I took the glass of water away from my lips, sending him a similar look.

"What?"

"You're not drinking? They have a good selection of wines here, y'know."

I paused for a moment, before shaking my head, looking down at the tablecloth.

"Nah, I'm not really in the mood to drink..."

"...I see. Interesting..."

I narrowed my eyes slightly, an uneasy feeling settling over me. Just what did _that_ mean?

"So, Hana-chan...tell me more about the US..."

_Here we go, _I thought to myself as I hefted out a sigh, _interrogation time._

"...There isn't really much to tell," I answered slowly, hunching my shoulders up, "it was nice."

"Nice? Is that all? Just...nice?"

"What else do you want me to say? It was just nice," I raised my voice slightly, glancing around me as I felt a few people's eyes on me.

"...Okay. So it was 'just nice', then..." Izaya sighed, that famous shit-eating grin still plastered on his face. He was enjoying this. He really was enjoying this.

Asshole.

"And about what you said a few days ago. About your family not knowing about you leaving. What's that all about, hm?"

"I didn't need to tell them I was leaving. I wasn't living with them, anyway."

"Ah, that's right. Last I heard, you were living with Katsuo, right?"

My hands, that had been settled on the tablecloth moments ago, clenched tightly at the mention of the name. I looked away, pulling my bottom lip into my mouth and nipping at it slightly.

"Hana-chan?"

"...Yeah. I was."

My words came out no louder than a whisper. Out of my peripheral, I saw Izaya's smirk widen.

"I heard about your break up. Such a shame, really. He was a moron, though, so it was to be expected-"

"-Izaya."

I couldn't stop his name from leaving my mouth with a angry tint. He raised an eyebrow at me, sending me a knowing smile.

"Hm?"

"I don't want to talk about him. Drop it, okay?"

"But, why not, Hana-chan? Talking about it will help you feel better~"

"I said drop it, Izaya."

"So mean~ You can't keep all those nasty feelings bottled up like this. It's pretty obvious it ended on a bad note. So you should-"

"Enough, alright?!"

My eyes widened as I realised how loud I had snapped those words at him. My eyes darted in front of me, and I bit at my lip harder, not wanting to attract any more attention. It was making me jumpy enough as it was.

Izaya remained silent, and for that I was grateful. I needed time to calm down. Getting stressed over this wasn't what I wanted.

"...Y'know, Hana-chan...I consider you my friend."

His words were quiet, subdued, almost as if he wanted no one else to hear them. I glanced up at him, trying to calm my rapid heartbeat. My hands were still balled into fists around the tablecloth, but I didn't want to move them.

"...I saw you with Shizu-chan the other night."

I gulped a little. Had his voice always been that intimidating?

"And y'know what? It made me angry."

My fingers gripped tighter at the cloth, my nails scratching at the fabric.

"I mean...you should know by now that I _really _don't like sharing, Hana-chan...especially with a _monster _like him..."

"Don't be so cruel," I countered back in almost a hiss, "besides, some of things you've done could be considered monstrous also, Izaya. I've heard about what you did to Shizuo after I left. You framed him from a crime he didn't commit."

"I wouldn't really consider that monstrous. Just fun."

"You almost ruined his life, Izaya!"

My voice came out in a growl, and I glowered at him. He leaned back in his chair, watching me with an intrigued expression.

"I don't get it, Hana-chan. Why do you stick up for Shizu-chan? It's not like he's done anything for you."

"Because he's my _friend_, that's why. I don't need a solid reason to stick up for him...he's been through enough. He doesn't need you making it worse..."

"...Well, my opinion stills stands, regardless of what you think. I don't like sharing you with anyone. Especially not with Shizu-chan."

I gritted my teeth, slumping back in my chair. Etiquette be damned, I really wasn't in the mood for this any more.

"I always had the feeling you were a possessive son of a bitch...what happened to loving _all _humans, huh? And why the sudden obsession with me? I'm not that interesting..."

I felt an uneasy twinge as Izaya chuckled, and leaned forwards, his face nearing my side of the table.

"Well, because you're different, Hana-chan! After all..."

He motioned for me to come closer, and with another twinge of unease, I did so. His lips moved close to my ear, and the words he whispered into it made my blood run cold and a choked gasp leave my lips.

"...you're_ not _human, are you...?"


	4. Chapter 4

_Sorry for the long wait between chapters. I've had this written up for some time. I just couldn't be bothered to post it. _

_Plus, I was also debating on whether to delete this and rewrite it in 3rd person. I now realise how much I hate writing in 1st person. I probably won't, but still. _

_Enjoy, anyway._

_~Dawn Stone Slifer~_

* * *

My first thought was to shut him up.

My eyes, wide with shock, watched his every movement, waiting for him to open his mouth and speak again. But Izaya simply sat there, leaning forward in his seat, a smug smirk on his face.

Well, it didn't _look _like he was going to say anything else. But with Izaya, you never knew.

My mind had gone into a frenzy, desperately trying to figure out _how _he knew. _Why_ he knew. And for _how long._

Playing it off was out of the question. If Izaya had brought it up in a conversation, making it out to be a joke would be pointless. He already knew what was real and what wasn't.

But _how...?_

My shock slowly morphed into anger; why was he doing this? Here, in public? Why was he doing this to me?!

My facial expression must've changed at some point, since moments later, I heard him snort.

My anger boiled over.

My hands, which had been balled into the tablecloth moments ago, ripped themselves away and pushed my body up off my seat. I paused for a moment, sending Izaya the nastiest glare I could, before stalking out, ignoring the calls of the waiter who had served us.

As soon as my feet hit the pavement outside, I broke into a run. I didn't know where I was going, but I had to get away from him.

_How did he know? Why does he know?!_

The thoughts kept repeating themselves in my head over and over again, and I found myself gasping for breath.

I rounded a corner, ignoring the eyes that stared at my shaking form as I leaned against a wall, trying to calm myself.

I felt hot. My body was burning up. I could feel it.

"Dammit, calm down...!" I hissed to myself, digging my nails into the brickwork wall. I couldn't do this. Not now. Not in front of so many people.

I slowly let my eyes close, and I inhaled deeply as I tried to block out the world around me.

_Happy thoughts, Hana, _I thought to myself as I inhaled again, _happy thoughts..._

My breathing slowly calmed itself, and my shaking subsided soon after. I stayed where I was, however, afraid of moving just yet.

Then again, if that asshole came along and started questioning me again...

"...Home it is, I guess..." I sighed, shaking my head as I opened my eyes, "this sucks...I didn't even get to eat anything..."

* * *

I groaned as I felt my phone vibrating in my pocket.

Not even five minutes into my walk home, and he was already trying to get back in touch with me.

Well, time to give the infamous Izaya Orihara hell.

I answered my phone, bringing it up my ear before muttering out a harsh, "what?"

"...Hana?"

Shit.

"...Shizuo?" I murmured out, a little put out. I was sure it was going to be Izaya...then again, maybe he had enough sense to stay away for now...

"Uh...yeah...is this...a bad time to call?"

"No, no, it's fine. Sorry, I was just a bit...distracted, is all...what's up?"

"I, uh...just wanted to ask if you wanted to hang out today. I have the rest of the day off, so..."

_Shit._

"I...um...I'm sorry, Shizuo, but today isn't really a good day for me...I just...I'm kinda busy, and..."

"What's wrong?"

"H-huh?"

"Something's wrong. You're acting weird."

_Shitshitshitshitshitshitshit-_

"Everything okay, Hana?"

"Y...Yeah...listen, Shizuo, I really gotta go...sorry..."

I ended the call before he could reply, holding my phone to my chest as I exhaled sharply. That was probably a bad move, but I really didn't want to talk to Shizuo right now. Or anyone, for that matter. I just wanted to go home and sleep the rest of the day away. Maybe when I woke up in the morning, I'd have a clearer head.

I rounded a corner, staring at the pavement in front of me as I turned onto my street. My house was only a few more steps away...

I glanced up, freezing at the sight that awaited me.

_Oh, you have __**got **__to be kidding me._

Shizuo stood at the door to my home, leaning against the wall, tapping his foot against the concrete impatiently. The cigarette that hung limply from his lips and the harsh look he sent me from across the street hinted at the irritation that lurked just beneath his skin.

Okay, maybe _Izaya_ wasn't the one who was gonna get hell this time.

"...What're you doing here, Shizuo?" I muttered out as I walked up to my door. I refused to meet his gaze, instead staring at my door as I reached into my bag for my keys.

I heard him let out a puff as he took a drag on his cigarette, before dropping it to the ground and stepping on it.

"I know we haven't seen each other in five years and all, but I know you well enough to know when something's bugging you. So spill. Now."

I glanced at him through my eyelashes, before heaving out a sigh, and unlocking the door. I pushed it open, before motioning for him to come inside.

"I'm not talking out here," I muttered when he made no effort to move, and he gritted his teeth, before moving off his spot on the wall, and inside.

I slammed the door shut behind me, exhaling deeply, before taking off my shoes.

"Go sit down. I'll make you some tea."

Well, if he was here, I might as well be a hospitable host. Or, as good of one as I _could _be at this post in time.

I made my way into the kitchen, clicking my tongue in annoyance as I heard Shizuo's footsteps behind me.

"I thought I told you to go sit down."

"And I thought I told you to spill."

I let out a groan, rubbing my face with my hands, before stalking over to the fridge. I opened it a little too harshly, and wincing when the fridge door went slamming against the counter next to it.

_Calm down..._

My brain kept repeating the phrase over and over again, and ignoring it was getting to be a chore. I inhaled deeply, closing my eyes as I stood there for a moment.

I let out the breath I was holding, before opening my eyes once again.

"...How do you like your tea?" I murmured softly to Shizuo, not looking at him, "It's been a while since I've made tea for you, so I've forgotten..."

"...Milky. Two sugars."

I nodded to myself, pulling the milk out of the fridge and setting it down on the counter next to me. I scanned the shelves, before pulling out a large glass bottle.

I turned, ignoring Shizuo's gaze as I kicked the door shut and set the bottle down on the counter, before going to grab a cup.

I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye as I picked out a cup and a glass for me, watching him quietly as he raised an eyebrow at my drink choice.

"Wine this early in the day?"

"Hey, fuck you, man. I need it."

The words left my mouth in a growl as I stalked back over, wasting no time in slamming my glass down and pouring out the red alcoholic drink.

Shizuo didn't respond to that, and for that I was grateful. That had been rude, but I wasn't in the mood to be lectured by him. I was an adult; I could do whatever the hell I wanted.

Even if it _was_ drinking at 2:30 in the afternoon.

I felt him behind me as he switched on the kettle with a flick, and I grabbed a spoon, moving to get the sugar.

"Go and sit down. I can make my own tea."

"But-"

"Go sit down."

His voice left no room for argument. With a small huff, I grabbed my glass of wine and went into the living room, slumping down on the couch.

I gulped down half of my glass, shuddering as the liquid ran down my throat. Why did I even own this stuff?

* * *

A couple of minutes later, and Shizuo strolled in, a boiling hot cup of tea in his hands. I shuffled over on the couch a little, giving him some space to sit. He slumped down next to me, sighing deeply as he set his cup down on the table in front of us.

"...Nice place," he commented finally, and I shrugged.

"Too big," I muttered back, "too spacious."

"That's a bad thing?"

"When you're living by yourself, it is."

He nodded a little, murmuring out a, "I guess so," as he picked up his cup from the table and took a gulp. The tea was still scolding hot, but he didn't seemed to be bothered by it.

"I take it you don't have that problem with your place, then?"

"A space problem? Nah...my apartment's small, so..."

"Sounds nice."

"Mm."

Everything went quiet once again, and I sighed, taking another gulp of my wine. I winced as the flavour hit me, and I shuddered.

"Ugh. This is some nasty shit..."

Shizuo let out a small snort, shaking his head as he set his cup back down.

"Why are you drinking it, then?"

"Eh, if I don't, who else is going to? Best to clear out space in my fridge for better stuff."

"I get ya. Shinra bought me some beer for my birthday this year as a joke. I still have cans of the stuff in my fridge that I'll probably never drink."

"Sounds like something Shinra would do. I'm surprised you didn't punch him for that," I said, smiling a little at the memory of the brown-haired man. I hadn't seen Shinra since I'd left. Maybe I'd have to pay him a visit.

"I was close to," Shizuo muttered, "Celty managed to calm me down, though..."

"Speaking of, how _is_ Celty? I haven't seen her around Ikebukuro since I've been back."

"She's fine. Think she took some time off, or something."

"Probably to relax with Shinra. Is he still head over heels for her?"

"Yeah. The idiot won't shut up about it."

I let out a laugh, setting my glass down on the table as I leaned my head back against the couch.

"Good to know he hasn't changed, at least...I'll have to meet up with those two some time..."

"Mm."

We slipped into another silence, one I welcomed. My anger was beginning to seep away; just being with Shizuo managed to calm me down. My anxiety over what had happened at lunch slipped into the back of my mind, and I found myself relaxing.

"So, you gonna tell me why you hung up on me earlier?"

Well, so much for relaxing.

"...I was-"

"Upset? Yeah, I could tell. Why?"

I didn't have it in me to lie to him about this. I knew I'd regret it, but for the time being, I was going to put my trust in Shizuo.

"...Izaya."

* * *

I watched as Shizuo visibly tensed, and he gritted his teeth as his fists clenched hard. Thank God he'd put my cup down beforehand, otherwise we would've been dealing with an angry Shizuo _and _broken pieces of ceramic teacup.

"What did that _flea _do to you?!"

The utter anger in his voice honestly surprised me. I knew he hated the man, but still...this was new, even for him.

"I...he was pressing me for information," I began, pulling my knees up against my chest, "about my family...and stuff. I don't really...talk with them any more, and I _really _don't want them to know I'm back in Ikebukuro. And with Izaya being so well-known in the info broker business...if they come looking for me, he'll be the first person they'll turn to for help in locating me..."

Well, it wasn't a complete lie. I didn't want my family to know where I was. It would just make things harder for me. I wanted to stay hidden.

I'd left a storm of shit behind when I'd upped and left, after all.

"...He was really persistent, and it just...irked me, is all..."

I went silent, not wanting to talk any more. My mind was still reeling from that bomb-shell Izaya had dropped on me earlier, and I thought it best to forget about it for the time being.

_After all...you're __**not **__human, are you...?_

His words rang loud in my ears, and I shook my head slightly, trying to push them into the back of my head. I'd deal with it later.

I'd have to.

"Dammit...!" Shizuo growled out, his fists shaking from the pent up rage that was bubbling inside of him.

I frowned, before shuffling over to his side. Without even having to think about it, I took his hands in my own, squeezing them gently.

"It's okay," I murmured softly, "he's not worth it, Shizuo. You know he isn't..."

I continued to talk to him like that as he inhaled deeply, before exhaling, trying to calm himself.

"It's okay..." I whispered, "you're doing so well, Shizuo...you're doing so well..."

I closed my eyes, continuing my praise as I slowly felt him relax. He was still angry, I could tell, but he'd managed to control it.

And that was an achievement in itself.

* * *

This wasn't something uncommon between us. Back in high school, whenever Shizuo would get angry, I'd often grab his hands and talk to him this way.

He'd never said it out loud, but I knew it calmed him down. Even if only a little.

I knew the feeling of losing control all too well, after all. And it wasn't something I wanted Shizuo to have to get used to.

Not ever.

* * *

"...Thanks."

It was muted and blunt, but it was better than nothing. I smiled, opening my eyes as I let go of his hands, before moving back to my spot on the couch.

"No problem."

He huffed in response, shaking himself down a little as he cleared his throat.

"...If that flea's bugging you, call me. I'll drop everything and wipe him off the face of the planet for you."

I smirked a little as his words reached me, and I let out a chuckle.

"Well, I'm flattered you'd go so far for me, Mr. Heiwajima, but if I wanted to get rid of him _that _badly, I would've done it by now."

It was his turn to let out a chuckle, and I sent him a large grin, squinting my eyes at him.

I jumped a little when I felt his hand in my hair, ruffling it gently.

"You're something else, y'know that?"

My smile softened, and I watched him as he continued to ruffle my hair. It would no doubt be a complete mess by the time he was finished, but I didn't care.

"So I've been told."

I watched as the smile on his face grew, and he let out a small laugh.

"Cocky."

"You know it."

His hand had settled atop my head, and I felt more than happy with just leaving it there.

Shizuo's strength didn't worry me at all. He wouldn't hurt me.

Shizuo was one of the most gentle people I knew.

I flinched a little when the sound of a phone ringing caught my attention. Shizuo cursed under his breath, muttering out a quick apology, before reaching into his pocket and pulling out his phone. He stared at the screen for a moment, his eyebrows raised in surprise.

"I need to take this. It's Kasuka."

"Sure thing," I responded, leaning over to pick up my glass of wine as he stood, answering his phone and greeting his younger brother. He wandered off towards the hallway, and I took the time to down the rest of my drink, groaning as the taste made me cringe.

"Why did I think this was a good idea? I'm not even meant to drink this..." I muttered to myself, standing and taking the empty glass into the kitchen.

"...Yo."

Shizuo's voice in the doorway to the kitchen made me turn, and I smiled.

"Done already?" I asked.

"Yeah. Kasuka's free today, so he called me and asked if we could meet...sorry about this, Hana..."

"No, no! It's fine! We have plenty of time to meet up! Go and spend some time with your brother for a change!"

He nodded, although he still had a frown plastered on his face. I snorted a little, before walking over to him and reaching up, pushing his cheeks up until his mouth was set in a funny-looking grin.

"Smile, Shizuo. We can meet up again soon. I don't have a set date for work since it's project-based, so we can meet up whenever."

"...How about on my day off? I always get one at least once a week."

"Sounds good. You'll have to text me the details," I nodded, walking with him to the front door. He slipped on his shoes, and I held the door open for him as he stepped out.

"It was nice seeing you, Shizuo...and thank you. For listening...I'm...kinda glad I talked to you, now..."

Shizuo turned, watching me carefully as he put his sunglasses on.

"Just stay outta trouble, alright? And remember what I said about that flea."

"I know, I know...I remember...thanks, Shizuo."

"...Don't mention it...later..."

He sent me a wave, before making his way down the steps, and onto the street.

I closed the door behind me, leaning against it as I inhaled deeply. A smile had plastered itself on my face, and I couldn't stop a laugh from leaving my mouth.

Of course, all my happiness drained when I felt a wave of nausea crash over me. I placed my hand over my mouth, rushing to the bathroom as I retched. I collapsed in front of the toilet, gripping at it as I threw up what little I had in my stomach. My body broke out in a cold sweat, and I shuddered as I coughed.

"I _k-knew _I shouldn't have had that w-wine...that s-shit's _poison..._"


	5. Chapter 5

**_WARNING: PLEASE READ!_  
**

**_This chapter contains some situations that may be upsetting or triggering to some readers. So, if you're not comfortable with written depictions of sexual harassment, turn away now.  
_**

_Hey, everyone. Sorry for the massive gap between this chapter and the last one. I've had life to deal with. New job and stuff. Hours are shitty. I need sleep. Also, if you notice the writing change halfway through this chapter, sorry. I've had half of this written up for a while, so when I came back to it, I don't know if it's...as good. But hey, I've read it over, and it doesn't seem **that **bad...I hope. _

_Also, there's a point in this where there's a PoV change from 1st person to 3rd. Just a heads up. I wrote it like that because 1st person just wasn't flowing well with the scene, and I needed a more neutral approach, rather than going from Hana's point of view. So, just a warning. _

_Anyway, thank you for your patience, and without further ado, I give you Chapter 5 of Shift!_

_~Dawn Stone Slifer~_

* * *

"Needs to be god-damn tighter..."

The words left my lips in a sigh, and I tapped my fingers against my chin as I felt irritation sweep over me.

"Oh, now this is ridiculous...what are you giving me to work with here...?"

I slammed my palm against my face, rubbing my eyes as I let out a groan.

"This is like the worst cinematography I've ever seen...these shots might as well have been rammed up someone's ass...they would probably look better..."

I shook my head, feeling my anger growing.

_Guess you can't get good film crews unless you sell your soul for cash...fuck this..._

With a huff, I closed the editing program. I'd come back to it later. I needed to have a clear head to work on something like this.

Of course, I knew I'd just get pissed off with it later. It was always the same with projects like these. I'd get it done eventually, but I wouldn't be happy with it.

I silently scanned through the rest of my emails, quickly growing bored of responding to my clients.

It had been two days since I had met with Izaya and Shizuo. My mind was still reeling over Izaya's little...stunt, but I refused to give myself time to think about it. I had thrown myself into work, and had actually finished enough projects to earn me a decent amount of cash. Maybe I'd go out on a shopping spree or something.

"...Not today," I muttered, shaking my head as I clicked on the search bar, before typing in a familiar URL.

A simple black screen appeared, along with a box for writing a username, and an icon select.

"Shit...new computer. I have to re-write everything..." I sighed, typing out my usual username and clicking on my icon, before hitting enter.

I was automatically redirected to the private chat room I visited. Back in the US, I had frequented the site; I'd been sent the link by Izaya a while back, and had gotten back in touch with both him and a few others as well.

* * *

**Toboe has entered the chat room. **

I smiled as I saw three other names pop up.

**Kanra: ! Wow! Toboe's here!**

**Setton: Hey!**

**Taro Tanaka: Hi there! I haven't seen you on here in a while! Were you busy?**

"Such a warm welcome," I said with a small laugh, typing out a reply.

**Toboe: Hello, everyone. Yeah, I've been pretty busy moving, so I haven't had the time.**

**Kanra: You liar, Toboe! You had lunch with me a few days ago!**

"Don't start, Izaya..." I grumbled, shaking my head slowly. I hadn't heard from him at all since I'd left him at the restaurant, so I just assumed he was giving me the space I wanted. I didn't want him to start things here, of all places.

**Setton: Oh?**

**Taro Tanaka: You guys know each other IRL?**

**Kanra: Yeah~ We're childhood sweethearts~ **( ˘ ³˘)

**Setton: You poor thing.**

**Toboe: Tell me about it. It's hell knowing Kanra...**

**Kanra: Hey...you guys are so mean! **｡･ﾟﾟ･(д)･ﾟﾟ･｡

I smirked a little, letting out a snort.

"You talk so much shit," I muttered to myself.

**Taro Tanaka: Awesome! So that means we're all in Ikebukuro now, right?**

**Kanra: It does!**

**Setton: Yup!**

**Toboe: Yeah!**

**Taro Tanaka: Wow! It's kinda cool to think that we might only be minutes away from each other...**

**Setton: Kinda scary...**

**Kanra: We should totally all meet up!**

That idea made me cringe. Kanra and Setton I knew, but this Taro guy...the way he typed reminded me of a teenager. So excitable. I really didn't want to meet up with someone that young. Who knew what his parents would think?

**Toboe: Eh, no thanks. I'm not feeling that great.**

**Kanra: What's the matter, Toboe? Are you feeling a little ruff?**

My eyes widened, and I simply stared at the screen, reading the words over and over again.

"...Izaya, you didn't just..." I growled out.

**Setton: ?**

**Taro Tanaka: Kanra, did you just typo?**

I frowned, typing my response quickly.

**Toboe: Stomach ache. **

**Kanra: Ah, I see. Well, maybe I should come over with some chicken soup! I'll leave the bones in, if you'd prefer~**

**Taro Tanaka: ?**

**Setton: What?**

I ground my teeth together, tapping my fingers against the edge of my keyboard rapidly.

"Stop it, you asshole..." I hissed, before typing.

**Toboe: Inside joke, Setton. It's not funny, though. And no thanks, Kanra; I wouldn't want you to catch what I have.**

**Kanra: Aww **(;*△*;) **Well, okay. Speaking of feeling under the weather, I think I need to pay a trip to the dentist. One of my canines has been aching...**

I bit my lip hard, cursing under my breath as I clicked on Kanra's icon, selecting the private message option.

**PRIVATE MESSAGE:**

**Toboe: Eat a dick, Izaya.**

**Kanra: You're too easy to irritate, Hana-chan!**

"Asshole," I growled out.

**Toboe: I'd still like to know how the hell you found out about me.**

**Kanra: Let's just say I did some digging. **

I didn't want to hear any more. I clicked off of private mode, inhaling deeply as I began typing again.

**Toboe: Sorry everyone, but it looks like I have to go. **

**Setton: Oh? Leaving already?**

**Taro Tanaka: Will we see you soon?**

**Toboe: Yeah, something came up. And sure, I'll be on whenever I get the chance. Talk to you soon!**

I clicked back on private mode, intending to respond to Izaya with a snarky comment.

**Kanra: Oh, and if I were you, I'd stay away from the wine, Hana-chan. That stuff is like poison to a dog~**

My mind went blank. All sarcastic comments that had entered my thoughts dispersed, and panic took it's place.

"How did he know...?"

My eyes darted towards my window, and I gulped hard as a sudden chill washed over me.

Had he been watching me? Had he been spying on me when I had been with Shizuo?

**Toboe has logged out.**

* * *

I didn't feel safe.

After I'd logged out, I'd grabbed my coat and had all but ran out of my home.

I didn't know where I was going. But I didn't care.

I just needed to be away from there.

I'd wandered through the city for a while, immersing myself deep within the crowds of the early evening. I felt safer if I was surrounded by others.

I'd somehow ended up at West Ikebukuro Park and, not wanting to wander aimlessly any longer, I'd taken a seat on one of the benches, sighing heavily to myself.

How did he know? How had he found out? Why was he spying on me?

I didn't understand. I didn't understand. I didn't understa-

I let out a startled yelp as I felt something hit my head, and I spun around, my eyes wide as panic set in. My senses were on high alert, thanks to Izaya, but I'd been too wrapped up in my own thoughts to notice someone approaching.

My eyes locked on there's, and a small gasp left my mouth. I stared up at them, my mouth ajar as the person snorted slightly, holding a bottle of water above my head.

"I know you haven't been here for over five years, but there's no way you could've forgotten how dangerous this place can get in the evening."

That voice was just like I remembered it. That same deep, lazy lilt from so long ago made goosebumps raise on my arms, and I couldn't stop a smile from forming on my lips.

"Welcome home, Hana."

They held the bottle of water out of me, and I took it, practically beaming up at them.

"...Thanks, Kyohei..."

* * *

"Seriously, man, you have no idea how happy I am to see you. This city has managed to...overwhelm me a little. It's so nice to see such a familiar face."

Kyohei Kadota, yet another one of my friends from high school, sat next to me on the bench, taking a gulp of his water.

"Honestly, I wasn't sure if it was you, at first. Izaya sent me a picture, so I knew who to look out for, but still...I can see what he was talking about; you have changed a bit..."

I flinched at the mention of Izaya, before banishing the thought. Getting jumpy around Kyohei wasn't what I wanted. I wanted to savour this; these few moments of peace I could get with the man.

Whenever I'd hung out with Kyohei in high school, things had been simple. Easy. We'd often spent our lunches together, sitting under one of the trees in the courtyard. Sunbathing was always nice there, especially when a breeze would blow through. We'd often doze our lunches away, bathing in the sunlight and enjoying each other's company in silence.

Shizuo had joined us once as well, and honestly, I thought it would be amazing if he did it more often; a little bit of relaxation was just what Shizuo needed.

Of course, not that Izaya would let him relax. But still...

"So, you met up with Shizuo yet?"

Kyohei's question snapped me out of my thoughts, and I nodded, a smile on my lips.

"Yeah, I met up with him a couple of days ago. He came over for some tea."

"Right...I'm surprised you haven't heard him while you've been walking around Ikebukuro."

"Is he...?"

"Angry? Yeah. Last I saw, he was throwing a vending machine at Simon outside Russia Sushi...still amazes me how he can stand there and take a punch from Shizuo, to be honest..."

"I wonder what's annoyed him..."

I knew the answer. I just didn't want to think his name.

As I began to worry, I failed to notice Kyohei's smile grow.

"Even after all this time away, you still really care for him, huh?"

His words caught me off guard, and I felt my face turning red.

"S-shut up! It's not-"

"I get it, I get it," Kyohei interrupted, chuckling a little at my outburst, "It's a good thing you're still good friends. Shizuo needs someone like you in his life. You used to keep him grounded when no one else could. I'd say that's an achievement in itself."

Kyohei paused, a smirk lighting up his face, and I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Besides, it's pretty obvious that the guy-"

"Dotachin!"

My head snapped in the direction of the new voice, and I cringed a little. There were only two people I knew who called Kyohei that.

"I'm...gonna take my leave, Kyohei. I'm really not in the mood for...-"

"Erika? I understand. Well, see you around, and don't forget; if you ever need to talk, call me."

"Sure thing...thanks again, Kyohei..."

I stood, and wasted no time in jogging away, wanting to put as much distance between myself and the young woman known as Erika Karisawa.

It wasn't that I hated her; far from it, actually. She just tended to be...well...a bit...full-on at times. I'd met her and the rest Kyohei's little group before I'd moved away, and I clearly remembered how much of a handful she was, especially when she was with Walker.

On any other day, I could've handled her. But today...I wasn't going to risk it.

"Dotachin, who was that girl you were talking to? That your girlfriend?"

"Stop callin' me that, will ya...and no, she's-"

"H-Hey, is that Kaijuu-chan?! Hey, Kai-"

Her voice became muffled, and I bit back a laugh as I walked further away.

"Don't bother her," I heard Kyohei scold, "she's busy..."

* * *

My first thought was to go hunt down Shizuo. No doubt the man would be pissed, so maybe a little chat would help cool him off. That, and I really wanted a familiar face to talk to. Being on my own for long periods of time was making my skin crawl.

I walked down the street, intending to make my way towards Russia Sushi. If anybody knew where Shizuo had stalked off to, it would be Simon.

My eyes widened, and a sharp gasp left my throat. I spun around on the spot, my body stiff and my eyes alert as I scanned the slowly-diminishing crowd.

Someone was watching me. I could feel it. It was like they were glaring daggers right into the back of my head.

I let out a shaky exhale, my eyes darting to and fro as I searched. No doubt about it, someone had been spying on me.

Was it Izaya? No...I would've known if it was Izaya...this was someone new...someone different. I inhaled deeply, trying to calm myself, when a familiar smell captured my attention.

One, two, three familiar smells. All near, all watching me...

My entire body stiffened as I felt someone grab my shoulder, and I spun around, letting out a yelp of pure panic.

My eyes met with a familiar brown, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

"S...Shizuo..." I murmured, trying to calm my erratic heart rate.

"Yo. Everything okay?"

He sounded irritated, but that was probably due to his fight earlier. I slowly turned my head back, searching for those same presences from before.

Gone. I clicked my tongue in annoyance, before turning back to him.

"Yeah...I thought I just saw...never mind...what's up?"

I watched as he raised an eyebrow at me, obviously questioning my half-assed answer, before shrugging, and letting out a huff.

"Nothing much. Pissed off."

"So I heard. I hope you apologised to Simon, by the way. It's not in his job description to catch flying vending machines."

"You heard about that, then."

I could've sworn I heard a twinge of embarrassment in his tone, and I copied his movement, raising an eyebrow at him.

"It's not difficult to find out when you're angry, Shizuo. The whole city knows."

He turned his head away, scratching the back of his neck as he huffed again.

"Yeah, well...that flea kept messing with me. He's been doing it all day, and it's pissing me off."

I flinched at the mention of Izaya. Why did he seem to be popping up wherever I went? Couldn't I just catch a break from him for like, five minutes?

Ignoring my discomfort, I placed my hands on Shizuo's shoulder, shaking him slightly.

"Easy. Deep breaths. We're in public."

Shizuo took my advice, choosing to inhale deeply through his nose. I smiled at him, acknowledging the effort he was putting in.

"...Thanks, Hana..."

"Any time, Shizuo..."

I paused, my eyes darting to the right as I caught onto those familiar scents again. They were close. I could feel their gazes burning into the back of my head. My eyes locked on an alleyway across the street, and I tensed as I saw a flash of red disappearing into the darkness.

No doubt about it, someone was watching me.

"...You seem distracted, Hana. You sure you're okay?"

Shizuo's voice snapped me out of my trance, and I glanced back at him, taking in the concerned look on his face.

"I'm fine, really. Don't worry about it."

Well, if I was trying to sound convincing, I really fucked up. My voice was quivering, and I could feel a cold sweat sweeping over my body. Those eyes - those bright red eyes from the alleyway - had sent me into a panic.

Shizuo bent down, pursing his lips slightly as he folded his hands across his chest and took a better look at my face.

"You feelin' sick or something? I can get Shinra to take a look at you if you-"

"I said I'm fine, Shizuo!"

The sharpness of my tone honestly surprised even me. I hadn't meant to snap at him, I really hadn't, but with so much happening so fast, my body was beginning to burn.

Shizuo stepped back, his eyes wide in what could only be described as shock. In all our years of being friends, I had never once snapped at him like that.

I began to chew at the inside of my cheek, feeling my hands shaking terribly by my sides. I had to get away. I had to go.

"Sorry, I just...I gotta go. Sorry..."

Without another word, I barged past him, muttering out another apology to him as I pushed myself into the crowd that was quickly gathering, and out of his sight.

* * *

_I don't know where to go._

The thought kept repeating itself in my head over and over again, slowly morphing itself into a jumbled pile of sound that made my ears ring. I weaved my way through the crowd, my head spinning as I pushed and shoved. One kid in a Raira school uniform I actually sent to the floor, causing his friend to yell profanities at me.

"Hey, watch it! You okay, Mikado?"

I paid them no mind; their voices only added to the ones in my head, and I gritted my teeth.

As soon as I managed to escape the crowd, I took off running, slipping down a more quiet road and pausing to catch my breath.

Where to go? I really didn't want to go home; Izaya had officially put me off stepping foot inside my own house for at least a few more hours. Shizuo was a no-go; he clearly wasn't home, and even if he was, I wasn't sure I'd be welcome. No doubt I'd made his bad mood even worse.

_So then, where? Maybe I could go sit in Russia Sushi for a while...or maybe go and see Celty..._

The breath hitched in my throat as I heard the sound of footsteps coming towards me. On it's own, the action wouldn't have been suspicious, but the sound was awfully slow and stealthy.

Stalking.

I inhaled deeply, before turning my back and beginning to walk again. No use drawing attention to myself, especially not out in the open. Besides, this guy wasn't affiliated with the scents from earlier, nor was he any threat. He stank of booze.

I picked up the pace, listening to my pursuer's steps quicken also. My eyes glanced around, taking in the hooded figure behind me with irritation. This wasn't even worth getting pissed off over. But my blood was practically boiling at this point, and honestly, I was itching for a fight.

Yet, as I turned a corner, I realised I'd slightly underestimated my stalker's tactics.

* * *

"Hey there, girly~"

It dawned on me as I was being surrounded, that I recognised these men. My first real day back in the city, when I'd met Shizuo. These guys had been the one's in heaps on the floor.

The more I thought about it, the more I recognised them. I even spotted the guy who'd gotten his teeth knocked out; he had a creepy, gapped smile that made me feel ill.

"Hello there, boys. Funny running into you here..." I muttered, my face hard as I tried to ease my way out of their little circle. I felt someone touch the small of my back, pushing me back into the centre, and I clicked my tongue in annoyance.

"So you remember us, eh?" One of the guys spoke up, slightly to the left of me. He had a cocky arrogant air about him, so I guessed he was the leader of this little gang.

"How could I forget? You had your asses handed to you by Shizuo."

His face scrunched up in anger - he had such a baby face it was almost funny - before he took a step forwards.

"He was right about you. You are a cocky little bitch."

"Come again?" I muttered, my voice lowering as his words processed. He? Just who was he?

"Yeah, but Hiro, he did exaggerate a bit. I mean, this bitch hasn't even got nice boobs..." the toothless guy piped up, taking a step forward as he ran his eyes up and down my form. I took a step away from him, folding my arms across my chest.

"Maybe she's hiding them under all those clothes..."

I twitched as he took another step towards me, my hands shaking as anger began to take over.

"Should we find out...?"

_THWAP!_

The toothless guy's face hit the pavement with a thud, and a couple of the other members cursed in surprise.

My hands were shaking, but at least I'd managed to knock him out.

I gasped as I felt two pairs of arms wind around me, pulling me back. The circle erupted into a cacophony of noise; yells and curses of varying loudness that made my ears ring. I struggled against them, pulling and screaming as my body began to burn once again.

No. Not here. Not in front of these guys.

Before I had realised, I'd been pulled into a nearby alleyway, my back pressed up against the wall as Hiro - the leader of this little band of thugs - towered over me, a sneer on his face.

"I think it's time we taught you some manners, hm?"

The breath hitched in my throat as I realised what his words meant, and I went to push him away. His friends - two more members with those disgusting yellow scarves around their necks - slammed my arms against the wall, trapping me in their grasp.

_**Fight back! You can easily beat these guys!**_

_No! I'm not going to hurt people again!_

I closed my eyes, trying to control my anger as the group conversed amongst themselves.

"So, Hiro, what goes first?"

"I say the pants. Get it over and done with, man."

"Nah...the shirt. You never know, maybe she is hiding an awesome pair under that coat of hers..."

"Shut up...I'm taking my sweet-ass time with her...this'll pay Shizuo Heiwajima back for all the shit he's put us through..."

Infuriating.

"Hey, girly~ where's your boyfriend now, huh? He ain't gonna save ya..."

**Infuriating.**

"Quiet, huh? Don't worry; you'll be screaming in a minute..."

_**Infuriating. **_

"...Y'know, what? Pants it is."

_SNAP._

* * *

The rain splattered hard against the pavement; the downpour that now covered the city giving it an eerie kind of feeling.

It was here, in this solemn, wet city, where Izaya Orihara watched. Usually, no one in particular - just humans - but today, his focus was set on one woman.

Hana Kaijuu.

He made a point out of slamming his foot down in a deep puddle just outside of the alleyway, the splash loud and resonating to anyone in the area.

He sauntered into the alley, his eyes narrow and calculating as she assessed the scene before him.

And then, laughter.

"Well, I must say I'm impressed, Hana-chan! Seeing you fight those pathetic thugs was quite entertaining!" he paused, a thin sickly smile spreading across his face as he continued, "you're like a storm with skin..."

A low muted sound echoed after his words had finished; a sound that reminded him of a growl.

He glanced down at his feet, noticing that he'd almost stepped on one of the Yellow Scarves group. They were knocked out cold, but other than that, he saw no sign of injury on them.

"Although, I am a bit disappointed in you, Hana-chan. You could've left them with a few scars, at least. That would rile them up even more, don't you think?"

Her response, another angry growl-like sound. He chuckled, inspecting her work for a moment longer, before nodding to himself.

"But yes, I suppose this'll do quite nicely. That was a nice little taster of things to come, yes?"

He felt her presence beside him before he even realised she'd moved. Her body was tensed away from him, her hands curled into fists by her sides, and her eyes covered by her hair. He couldn't read her expression through her eyes, but he didn't need to; the way her jaw was tensed told him all he needed to know.

Her right hand slammed down on his shoulder, gripping at it tightly as she steadied herself. The action rattled his body a little, but he stood his ground, that thin smile never leaving his face, even for a second.

"...If you send any more of these goons after me...I'll snap your fucking neck, Izaya."

She lifted her head, and for a second, their eyes met.

His smile grew.

For what glared at him weren't the eyes of a human.

But of a monster.

She released his shoulder, stalking away from him and out of the alley.

Izaya paused, listening to the sounds of the traffic and the rain, before letting out a sigh of happiness.

"There she is...that's the Hana-chan I wanted to see..."

* * *

_There, hope you enjoyed! Just to let you know, next chapter is gonna be a little different. You'll see why when it's posted. Thanks for reading!_


	6. Chapter 5-5

_Hey, guys. This came out a lot faster than my last one did, huh?_

_Well, that's probably because it's only like, 500 words long. _

_But yeah, think of this as a filler chapter. Like, y'know how Durarara! has their little episodes that give backstory and stuff? Like the episode 4.5 OVA from x2? _

_I really wanted something to break up the last chapter from the next one, and I thought adding a little bit of Hana's past would split it nicely. _

_Not a lot of questions answered here - if anything, it just leaves you with more - but this little extra chapter plays a big part in the plot. Just saying. _

_Thanks for reading and reviewing, guys. I really appreciate it. _

_~Dawn Stone Slifer~_

_P.S. The names mentioned here besides my own characters are actual people. I had fun doing all the research. Also, special thanks to Emerald Gaze for your review. I had a lot of fun reading it, if I'm honest. _

_And yes, I really hope Hana gets to hurt Izaya next time. _

_That asshole has a trash can ready with his name on it._

* * *

The rain was a strange thing.

I'd always thought of it as annoying; it clung to my body and made my nose itch at the worst of times.

But, then again, it was quite amazing.

Rain returned everything to a blank canvas, reset everything. The peace that came after the rain was always something that I'd enjoyed, even when I was younger. The rain was like an eraser, wiping away everything, setting it up for a fresh start.

Or something like that. I'd never really been very good with metaphors.

So as I walked past the many graves that littered Zoshigaya cemetery, I couldn't help but think that the place was oddly peaceful. To normal people, that would've sounded a bit weird. But, then again, I wasn't exactly what you'd call normal.

My eyes scanned the names on the gravestones, remembering the many times I'd visited this place. Back when I lived here, I used to visit every few weeks with my father. He too, enjoyed the calming serenity of this place.

Kyoka Izumi. He was an author of novels and kabuki plays, if I remembered correctly. I'd read one of his books a few years ago, _A Day in Spring. _

Matsutaro Kawaguchi. He was also a writer, although many of his works had been adapted to film. My father had owned a few of his novels, and one of them I'd used for help in learning to write English. I think it was called _Shigurejaya Oriku._

Ogino Ginko. She was the first licensed and practising woman physician of western medicine in Japan. I'd often read about her in my grandfather's old medical books. She was an amazing woman.

The names continued, but I paid no mind to them. I knew where I was heading now.

My feet slowed to a stop, and I wiped the rain off my face, staring at a name that seemed very out of place.

**NAOMI YAMADA - 1985 - 2005**  
**GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN**

The name that was etched into that stone shouldn't have been there. My thoughts were instantly filled with rage, but I pushed it aside. I'd already had enough anger to last me a lifetime today. And now was the time for remembering, not for getting pissed.

I knelt down, my hands touching the cool marble of the gravestone gently. A sad smile settled on my lips, and I sighed.

"Been a while...huh, Naomi? Sorry...I wanted to come visit, but...there were...complications..."

I lowered my head, closing my eyes as I remembered.

"...I realised too late...I realised too late what he was capable of...and I'm sorry...but I got away...I protected myself...that's what you wanted, right?"

I bit at the sides of my mouth, my voice wavering slightly.

"You wanted me to be safe. You were always protecting me...always. We were so close...like sisters...although, I get the feeling you thought of me as more than that..." I lifted my head, staring up at the overcast sky, "and that's okay. Because I loved you, too. I still do...it's just a shame that we can't be together like we used to..."

I exhaled deeply, looking back at the gravestone.

"...I'll make him pay, Naomi...I swear to God, I'll make him - I'll make them all pay..."

* * *

_Boom betcha didn't expect Hana to be a canon bisexual, huh? Well, there you have it, folks. The cat's outta the bag now.  
_

_Hope you enjoyed. _


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